The United States is moving to relax restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and other groups that traditionally face a higher risk of HIV infection. Here, tubes transfuse blood directly from a donor into a bag in Davenport, Iowa, on Friday, November 11, 2022.
Charlie Neibergall/AP
hide captions
switch captions
Charlie Neibergall/AP
The United States is moving to relax restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and other groups that traditionally face a higher risk of HIV infection. Here, tubes transfuse blood directly from a donor into a bag in Davenport, Iowa, on Friday, November 11, 2022.
Charlie Neibergall/AP
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday said it had formally removed restrictions that had previously barred many gay and bisexual men from donating blood – a longstanding policy that critics say deemed discriminatory.
in one New information posted, the federal agency said it would propose a series of “personal risk-based questions” that would be the same for every blood donor, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. People who have had anal sex with a new partner or more than one partner within the past three months will be asked to wait to donate blood.
“Implementation of these recommendations will mark an important milestone for the agency and the LGBTQI+ community,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research.
With the updated guidelines, most gay and bisexual men who are in a monogamous relationship with a man will no longer have to refrain from sex to donate blood.
Previously, FDA guidelines for blood donation – last updated in 2020 – stated that men who have sex with men were allowed to donate blood after a three-month delay, during which they not have sex with another man.
While the number of people eligible to donate blood is growing, the agency said it will continue to monitor the safety of the blood supply.
The 40-year-old restrictions are to protect the blood supply from HIV
Restrictions on blood donation date back to the early days of the AIDS pandemic and were in place to protect the blood supply from HIV.
At first, gay and bisexual men were completely banned from donating blood. But over time, the FDA eventually relaxed the lifetime ban. However, the agency kept some limits in place.
The updated guidelines aim to address years-long criticism that the previous policy was discriminatory and outdated, and pose another barrier to consolidating supplies. the blood of the nation.
Blood banks routinely screen donated blood for HIV.
And for decades, organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Red Cross and various LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have called for the rule change.
Changes are a mostly welcome change in a new direction, advocates say
Reactions to the news were mostly positive from advocates, medical groups and blood banks.
“This change to the individual assessment of blood donors,” said Kate Fry, CEO of America’s Blood Center, a nonprofit that brings together community-based and independent activism. will prioritize the safety of the United States’ blood supply while treating all blood donors with fairness and respect to whom they deserve to be.” blood center, in a statement.
Fry says the data-driven final FDA guidance shows that the best protection against diseases, like HIV, is through rigorous testing for all blood donations — and a screening process. uniform for each donor.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis echoed that approval in a declare“The FDA’s decision to follow science and provide new recommendations for all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation, who have sacrificed themselves to donate blood to help save lives, signals the beginning of a new era,” said the FDA. ending a dark and discriminatory past rooted in homophobia and fear.”
However, Ellis said that while the new guidance is a step in the right direction, there are still barriers for LGBTQ+ people using PrEP. an FDA-approved drug has been shown to prevent HIV transmission, people may want to donate blood.
“The GLAAD urges the FDA to continue to prioritize science over stigma and to treat all donors and all blood equally,” she added.
Rob Stein and Will Stone of NPR contributed to this report.
